Allocations can be efficiently and effectively achieved using the OLAP Office Explorer™ interface for Microsoft's Analysis Services (OLAP). Allocations are part of OLAP Office Explorer™ and are not a separate product as is the case with certain OLAP vendors. Allocations can include the allocation of revenues and costs to one or more revenues or cost centres and in the case of costs can involve both direct and indirect expenses. Basically, costs and revenues can be apportioned and reapportioned to revenue or cost centres. With OLAP Office Explorer™, this can be easily achieved and more importantly, the basis of apportionment can be changed at will with the results updating in real-time.

Features :

• Even allocations
• Incremental allocations
• Weighted allocations
• ... there is more than one technique to achieve these different methods of allocation within an OLAP solution.

Weighted allocations could, for example, be based on one or a combination of the following:

• Head Count
• Floor Space
• Weighted Averages
• Percentages
• Prior Period Trends
• Revenues, Costs or Other Financial Basis
• Past Seasonality Trends
• Seasonality Expectations
• Predetermined Weightings Any Other Reasonable Basis

When designing allocation systems, it is important to ensure that they are flexible enough to allow for changing circumstances. OLAP Office, Inc. has had significant experience with this and can assist users in defining a flexible and appropriate allocation system. OLAP Office Explorer™ caters for all allocation basis available in the Microsoft's Analysis Services (OLAP) environment.